Method of finishing yarns or fabrics



Oct. 28, 1930. F. J. sToKEs 1,779,831

METHOD OF FINISHING YARNS OR FABRICS Filed June 22, 1925 @fm Hana/J 34% S/@ Patented Oct. l28, 1930 UNITED ys'ri'ris METHOD oF FINISHING Yams on, FABRICS Application led .Tune 22, 1925. Serial No. 38,697.

The principal object of the invention is to I effect a material economy in dyeing or bleaching or otherwise finishing yarns and fabrics by the provision of a process which makes it possible to dye or bleach the materiallin the standard package or form in which it is normally produced in the course of its manufacture, and thereby to save the time and expense' Which is now necessary for preparing the material for dyeing. As an illustration, yarn in the course of its manufacture is wound on cops, cones, bobbins or tubes on standard winding machines. Heretofore in order to dye the yarn it was necessary to rewind it into skeins on a reel or to initially wind it on special perforated cores to permit the dye to penetrate. It was necessary, after the dyeing process, to rewind the yarn onto cops, tubes, bobbins or cones before it could be further fabricated. The-elimination, by the present invention, of these operations entails a saving of from fourto eight cents a pound depending upon the size and kind of yarn. In the case of cloth 'the bolt can be finished or dyed in the piece without unwinding.l

yGenerally stated, the invention consists in exhausting or removing air from the yarn or fabric to be dyed, bleached or otherwise finished by subjecting it in the standard package orform in which it is normally produced in the course of its manufacture to the action of a vacuum, while under the influence of a vacuum immersing or flooding the yarn or fabric with one or more liquid dyes or other 35 finishing agents including water and after it is submerged applying atmospheric or air pressure to the 1i uid to force it into the material, with or without heat for setting the d e, and f'lowing off or withdrawing the sur- 49 p us\liquid. As a modification of this method and for optional use, after the withdrawal of the surplus liquid, the textile or material may be subjected to centrifugal action for drying. It is also possible after the withdrawal of the surplus liquid and the starting of the centrifugal, to apply additional liquid, heated or otherwise, to the material while under centrifugal action, either in the atmosphere or ina vacuum, drying the material by 5 further centrifugal action and removing the vIII 11'1 11. There are other valved connections 16 pump through the connection 3. The result is finished product for use oi' for further fabricatlon. f

` The invention also comprises the im rovements to be presently ldescribed and nally claimed.r

In the single figure of the accompan ing drawin there is illustrated apparatus ofY one form se ected yfrom among other forms that agobe used inthe practice of the invention th of its aspects. In the drawing 1 is a tank shown as fitted with a door 2, a valved vacuum connection 3, an air inletconnection 4, and the basket 5 of a centrifugal machine of which arts are indicated at 6, 7 and 8. The steam Jacket 18 y135 is an example of means for heating the contents of the tank 1." 9, 10 and 11 are tanks which may or may not be heated as the character of the dye or finishingy agent employed may require.- There are valved pi e connections 12, to the interior of the bas et 5, and these valved connections 12 are shown as fitted with a valved branch 13 to a Water supply-and with a valved branch 14 including a pump 15 to the various tanks 9, 10 and including a pump 17, thatextend from the various tanks 9, 10 and 11 to the tank 1.

The invention can be best explained by describing the process of dyeing yarn` on cops, bobbins, cones, tubes. orv spools, i. el. vin the standard package or form in which it is normally produced in thecourse of its manufacture. The yarn on cones, tubes, cops, bobbins or spools is placed inthe basket 5 of the centrifugal machine -leaving an open space or well in the Acenter in which thespray pipe 12 may be admitted.4 The tank 1 is then closed and a vacuum produced by means of a vacuum that air is removed from the yarn in order to permit the dye or finishing algient, including water, to penetrate freely. T e li uid dye is introduced from the bottom of t e tank 1, and while a vacuum is still maintained. By means of the pipe and valve connections 16 the desired dye color can be supplied or pumped into the vacuum chamber 1 from its storage tank 9, 10 or 11. B having a number of storage tanks various yes or bleach can sol be kept on hand. After the yarn is completely submerged air pressure is applied by breaking the vacuum or by means of an air compressor, as at 4, which rapidly forces the dye and distributes it evenly through the yarn. The d ye or finishing agent can then be heated if its nature demands it. The surplus dye is then withdrawn by means of suitable pipe connections, as 16, and the yarn either removed or submitted to centrifugal action for drying, or it may be washed by admitting water through the spray pipe 12 and connections supplied for the purpose. It may be that owing to the nature of the dye and in order to obtain a uniform shade of color` `yarn is still under vacuum. In some cases it may be advisable to circulate the dye through the yarn. The centrifugal action will throw the dye from the spray l2 through the yarn and cause a circulation producing a uniform coloring. In someY cases after the dyeing has been accomplished it may be necessary to wash the yarn, and this is done by following the dye with wash water.

In some cases the liquid or finishing agent employed in the vacuum and pressure steps may be water, followed, after drawing olf the Water from the tank l, by heated dye applied under substantially atmospheric conditions and under centrifugal action and by the spray l2.

Where yarn is Washed or bleached the process is as above described with theexception that a liquid soap or bleach is substituted for the dye. Where indirect colors are used the application of a mordant, fix and dye is followed outin the usual sequence as now practiced, but applied inthe manner above described. l

In the foregoingdescription reference has been made to the practice of the invention in a single tank 1, but of course the steps or some l .of them of the process can be practiced in separate vessels in which case the material may be lifted out of the vacuum treating tank and transferred to a centrifugal.

As used in this specification and claimethe term treating liquor includes water, dyes, mordants, bleaches, soaps and similar liquids now used in the commercial production of textiles.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates that modifications may be made in details of procedure and in matters of mere form without departing from the'spirit of the invention which is not limited as to such things or Votherwise than as the prior art andthe appended claim may require. 

